FUJIFILM has been working in the background with Gudsen, DJI, and Zhiyun. Now, they have announced an upcoming firmware update that boosts the X-T3 gimbal controls through USB. If you own a Ronin S or a Crane 2, you’re going to want to read this. Image Credit: FUJIFILM Catching up to the Competition In our review of the X-T3, we named it “the BEST camera FUJIFILM have ever presented when it comes to video performance.” Then, we awarded it the title of Best Mirrorless Camera of 2018. And in a guest post, filmmaker Florian Gintenreiter reviewed the X-T3 and Ronin S in combination, asking specifically for start-stop and focus control through the Ronin S. It should come as no surprise, then, that we are very excited to see the FUJIFILM X-T3 updated with exactly that. FUJIFILM has come from relative obscurity to be a serious competitor in the video space alongside Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic. This update removes one more barrier between them. This will officially make the X-T3 gimbal-compatible. FUJIFILM X-T3 – DJI Ronin S combo (Image Credit: Florian Gintenreiter) What’s in the Update This update allows a significant number of features on the X-T3 to be controlled via USB. Before, you could trigger the shutter to take a photo. Now, with the update, the palette of options is a lot bigger. You can now stop and start video recording, as well as manually control focus on electronic lenses. The DJI Ronin-S and the Zhiyun Crane 2 both feature knobs that can act as digital follow-focus controls by interfacing with, and precisely controlling, the AF systems of various cameras via USB. FUJIFILM also promises control of exposure settings, such as shutter speed, ISO, aperture, etc. There will be a few higher-end drone users who this will affect, but by and large, this update is most meaningful to gimbal owners. Image Credit: Fujifilm Bonus Update:  FUJIFILM has also announced an update coming in early 2020 that will improve eye- and face-detection AF, especially in complex situations. This is just icing on the cake, as their autofocus system is already superb. via fujifilm.com Do these new features make you consider buying the X-T3? What do you usually use with your gimbal? Let us know in the comments!

Our partners have some very appealing deals this week. We have picked the 10 most promising deals for our readers, including two mirrorless cameras, an iPad Pro that could be used for on-the-go editing, LED lights from Dracast and Datavision and a lens by FUJINON for their X Mount cameras. Our favorite deal is still the FUJIFILM X-T3. This week’s offers are from our partners at B&H (for our readership in North and South America), and CVP (for our European readers). By using our buy links you support cinema5D, as we get a small commission fee for every purchase made through those links. Now, let’s get into it. B&H: FUJINON MKX18-55mm T2.9 Lens with Hoya 82mm NXT Plus UV Filter Kit & FUJINON MKX50-135mm T2.9 Lens – $1,000 Discount, Each The FUJINON MK lenses have received great praise in the filmmaking community. Made for Super 35 sensors in E-Mount and FUJIFILM’s own X-Mount, they are the professional, parfocal, constant T2.9 aperture zoom lenses the run and gun mirrorless shooter might dream about. Not per se cheap, the lenses offer an incredible price to performance ratio, 200° gear focus rotation, smooth apertures, tripod mounts and a close focussing distance of 2.8′ / 0.85 m and 3.9′ / 1.19 m respectively. Buy link: FUJINON MKX18-55mm T2.9 Lens & Hoya 82mm NXT Plus UV Filter Kit   Was: $3,999.00  Now: $2,999.00 (Savings: $1000) Buy link: FUJINON MKX50-135mm T2.9 Lens  Was: $4,299.00  Now: $3,299.00 (Savings: $1000) B&H: Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless Digital Camera with Accessory Kit – $400.00 Discount Think the Canon RP is a good deal for a mirrorless full frame camera? Try the Sony a7 II. You can record 1080p at up to 60p with no crop, in either APS-C or full frame mode using Sony’s XAVC-S codec with S-log 2 and – get this – the sensor is even stabilized. Sony’s Hybrid AF utilises both, phase detection and contrast detection in tandem, to provide very capable autofocus performance in both, video and photography. Speaking of photography, this deal is also a professional grade hybrid camera, with its 24.3 MP sensor and 5fps with continuous AF. The kit contains a Sandisk memory card, a battery charger and spare battery, as well as a camera bag. Buy link: Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless Digital Camera with Accessory Kit  Was: $1,398.00  Now: $998.00 (Savings: $400.00) B&H: Benro A373T Series 3 AL Video Tripod & S6 Head Kit – $150.00 Discount This deal is a steal and will keep you going for a long time. The 3 section twist-lock legs will support loads of up to 55 lbs / 25 kg, making it capable of supporting even larger rigs at a maximum height of 58.3″ / 148.1 cm and a minimum of 6″ / 15.2 cm. The S6 fluid head comes with a flathead adapter for the legs’ 75mm bowl, and will balance and support loads of 13.2 lbs / 6 kg. The S6 of course can also be used on sliders and the like due to its flathead construction. Buy link: Benro A373T Series 3 AL Video Tripod & S6 Head Kit  Was: $329.00  Now: $179.00 (Savings: $150.00) B&H:Pelican 1510 Carry-On Case with Foam Set (Black) – 20% Discount The Pelican case doesn’t need an introduction. Its watertight, dust-proof construction is a benchmark for quality. This set comes with a free combination lock and a three-piece foam set that can be torn out to suit your camera’s dimensions. There are side and front handles, as well as a retractable extension handle to be used when wheeling the case to your next shoot. Buy link: Pelican 1510 Carry-On Case with Foam Set (Black)  Was: $189.95  Now: $151.96 (Savings: $150.00) B&H: Zoom H1n Digital Handy Recorder (Black) – $20.00 Discount The original H1 is still ubiquitous, due to its low price and robust functionality in a myriad of scenarios. The newer H1n improves the durability and usability of the original design – basically the only flaws the original version ever had. The H1n has a pair of X/Y stereo mics, records WAVs & MP3s up to 24-Bit / 96 kHz to microSD cards, features 3.5mm input/output jacks, built-in limiter and low-cut filter and works as a USB audio interface. It runs on AAA batteries. Buy link: Zoom H1n Digital Handy Recorder (Black)  Was: $119.00  Now: $99.00 (Savings: $20.00) B&H: FUJINON XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens – $250.00 Discount Combine the FUJIFILM X-T3 and this lens and what you get is pure gold. This 85mm equivalent lens is considered one of the best lenses of the celebrated FUJINON XF lineup. With its fast f1.2 aperture and premium construction it is sharp and will give you the opportunity to blur your background easily, when needed. The minimum focussing distance is  2.30′ / 70 cm and the front diameter is 62 mm. Buy link: FUJINON XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens Was: $999.00  Now: $749.00 (Savings: $250.00) B&H: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE, Silver)  – $380.00 Discount Our own Nino just recently wrote an article and conducted an interview with Viennese filmmaker Pedro Hofmann about conducting a whole video editing workflow – start to finish – using just LumaFusion on an iPad Pro, like this one. If you’re in the market for a new editing machine and are willing to consider a more modern workflow, maybe try this for a change. Buy link: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE, Silver)  Was: $1,279.00  Now: $899.00 (Savings: $380.00) B&H: Dracast LED500 Pro Bi-Color LED Light with V-Mount Battery Plate – $450.00 Discount LEDs are all the rage in lighting, have been and probably will be for a while. This deal offers 3200-5600K variable color temperature, works with V-mount batteries and the12 x 6 x 2″ Panel, weighs in at 4lb. It can be dimmed from 100-0%, has a CRI of 95, an included power adapter and comes with a handy carry case. Buy link: Dracast LED500 Pro Bi-Color LED Light with V-Mount Battery Plate Was: $699.95  Now: $249.00 (Savings: $450.00) B&H: FUJIFILM X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only, Black) – $100.00 Discount A lot has been written about the FUJIFILM X-T3, and a lot of it here, on cinema5D. We’ve reviewed the camera (twice), crowned it our best mirrorless camera of the year 2018 and just recently reported about a major firmware upgrade. Granted, a discount of $100.00 is not earth-shattering, however 4K 60p in 10bit internal in a sub-$1,500 camera is, so here it is again, with our warmest recommendations. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only, Black) Was: $1,499.00  Now: $1,399.00 (Savings: $100.00) CVP: DATAVISION 120W LED FRESNEL LIGHT – €500.00 Discount This deal comes with an almost 50% discount. The LG-D1200M is a 120W LED, with dimmer, focusable fresnel, and built-in barndoors. For around 500€ you get full DMX control and passthrough, and a solid build quality that promises prolonged and stable service times. Buy link: DATAVISION 120W LED FRESNEL LIGHT –  Was: €1,002.91  Now: €505.16 (Savings: €497.75) CVP: LITEPANELS CALIBER 3-LIGHT KIT – €130.00 Discount More lights? The Litepanels Caliber 3-Light kit comes prepared to aid in your 3 point-lighting needs. 3 Caliber fresnel fixtures, multi-joined flexible tripods, gel sets, colour frames, 4-way barndoors and even one full-size lighting stand. The whole kit comes in a handy, padded bag for easy transport. Buy link: LITEPANELS CALIBER 3-LIGHT KIT – Was: €777.20  Now: €642.71 (Savings: €134.49) What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

Edit: Adding the Panasonic GH5s to our list. Simply left it out by mistake as I was already testing it during 2017…. Here at cinema5D we feel lucky enough to test, review and share our unbiased honest professional opinion with our filmmaking community. The reward is the trust we get from our audience. This leads me to our “Best Mirrorless Camera for 2018” list. EVERY camera in this list was tested by us inside-out and in regards to the winner, we welcome you to comment below. Rest assured that 2019 will be EVEN MORE exciting, but for now, let’s say goodbye to 2018….  2018 is slowly but surely fading out and I hope you will agree that this year was one of the best for the aspiring (independent) filmmaker when it comes to the choice of production equipment and especially high quality mirrorless cameras. During this year, almost every major camera manufacturer released shiny new toys, but for the sake of this article, we will only concentrate on large sensor mirrorless cameras ranging from micro 4/3 inch to full frame sensor sizes. We are also fully aware that at times we will be comparing “apples to oranges” as some of our final candidates were simply designed to win the hearts of different users, yet as independent (and at times “on the budget”) filmmakers we at cinema5D tend to believe that one will be investing his/her hard earned cash on only a single camera that might serve him/her best. Full Frame Category Winner – Sony a7 III It’s funny to think how February 2018 looks so far away, but that was the time when I first saw the camera and had a chance to play with it a bit. Already then it was clear that Sony had created something unique when it comes to sensor size, performance and price point. My assumption was reassured after reviewing the camera a month later. The new Sony a7 III turned out to be a camera that redefines the word “basic model” (This is how Sony referred to it), and if this is what Sony puts in a basic camera (features and quality/performance wise), then there is certainly something to look for during 2019. (cough cough, Sony a7S III)… Here is how I concluded my opinion about the camera after reviewing it: Sony a7 III Conclusion: The key element for me is the right balance between its price and specifications. Sony did a really good job in packing a lot of technology into a well-priced full frame mirrorless camera body. In my opinion, this is a great all-round shooting device with a good level of video performance and a nice stills functionality (at least this is what I heard from colleagues who have tried the camera and are shooting photos professionally). Our desires for 4K higher frame rates like 50/60p, higher bit rate,  colour depth and maybe even a built-in ND filter will have to wait for the next round of announcements. Full Frame Running Candidate – Canon EOS R: I recently reviewed the new Canon mirrorless camera and while technically it is being regarded as a full frame camera, when it comes to shooting video, the image is heavily cropped but for the sake of order let’s leave it here, in the full frame category…. All in all it performed well but I’d be curious to see what Canon has under its sleeve for 2019. The people from Canon we talked to emphasized the fact that this is a “first generation” mirrorless camera so hopefully, some of its shortcomings can be fixed on the next model to come. Missing from our list – Nikon Z6 and Z7: We simply haven’t had a chance to test those cameras yet but as good as they might be for shooting video, when looking at recent mirrorless cameras sales figures coming out of Japan and the declining shares of Nikon, I have to have my doubts if any of those new cameras will really be a turnaround for Nikon in the ever-evolving mirrorless video shooting market. APS-C Category Winner – FUJIFILM X-T3 FUJIFILM was very busy bringing nice well-budgeted filming tools for the independent filmmaker during 2018. In February they introduced the X-H1 which combined high-quality video performance and in-body stabilization system. Later in September, the X-T3 was released. While the X-H1 is a good camera, the X-T3 has managed to become one of my favorite working tools for the following reasons: Ease of handling, picture quality and autofocus performance (just to name a few). In general, this camera feels like a “Swiss Army Knife” when it comes to flexibility and choice of resolution/frame rates and such. Last but not least: the price. This camera gives competitors a run for the money when it comes to video and photo performance. FUJIFILM really managed to create and deliver an affordable high-quality working tool. What is really missing in order to make this little camera even more capable is an internal body stabilization system but even without it, with the right choice of lenses, (Especially for run&gun situations), this camera really shines! Here is how I concluded my opinion about the camera after reviewing it: FUJIFILM X-T3 Conclusion  It is no secret that FUJIFILM is heavily invested in making affordable cinema lenses for E (Sony) and X (FUJIFILM) mounts (MK and MKX series of lenses). In my opinion, this is guaranteeing us that FUJIFILM will not stop here. Furthermore, by introducing the first ever APS-C sensor size camera that can shoot 10-Bit video internally, FUJIFILM is positioning itself at the forefront and becoming a serious candidate to consider when thinking of shooting video on a mirrorless camera. It is one of those companies that have no higher video market share to protect and as such, they are free to move forward as fast as their R&D capabilities and budget allows. This particular camera should get some love and attention from the filmmaking community. For users who are heavily invested in lenses from other brands, I can only hope that some sort of a program can be established by FUJIFILM or alternatively, some other solution can be found in order to make people actually try it. We hear a lot about the love for a particular  “colour science”. This camera can easily produce “analogue looking” images and furthermore, if you take photos with it, in my opinion, it is the one that looks the least digital. APS- C Running Candidate – FUJIFILM X-H1 As I wrote above, this is a very nice camera with the advantage of having an internal body stabilisation system but other than that,  it can not compete in terms of picture quality and autofocus performance with the newer X-T3. Micro 4/3 Category Winner – Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Announced during April this year, this much anticipated new Pocket Cinema Camera has already been shipping since October and with no doubt, it managed to capture the attention of many, mostly because of its capabilities in shooting RAW and ProRes in a small package, exceptionally nice images, and a very attractive price.  When I mentioned “comparing apples to oranges”, I was referring to this camera. Some of its shortcomings like the absence of an in-body stabilization system and the absence of a continuous autofocus function are regarded by some as “not needed” as the word “Cinema” should already indicate to what target users Blackmagic design aimed when designing the camera. This might be true, but when looking at a saturated competitive market, I think it will be wise to look beyond the “Cinema” badge and evaluate the camera and what it can do opposed the other alternatives out there. I’m fully aware that the last sentence alone might cause some people to respond and question if the BMPCC 4K and the FUJIFILM X-T3 (for example) can be even compared. Again, as I see most of the people spending their money and buying ONE production tool, my clear answer is YES! Here is how Nino concluded his opinion about the camera after reviewing it: BMPCC 4K Conclusion There are many more things to say about the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, but please do watch the video if you haven’t seen it yet, as many things are covered there in more detail. Blackmagic really did their homework with this one and listened to as many customers as possible when designing the successor to their original Pocket Camera. The image out of it is beautiful and “cinematic”, the dynamic range is better than the one of similar cameras in the market right now, and it’s just very enjoyable shooting with it. It’s not a perfect camera of course, but it has a lot to offer. Micro 4/3 Running Candidate – Panasonic GH5s Amazing how time is flying. I tested the GH5s at the end of 2017 and published our review at the beginning of January 2018….All in all, it is a very solid camera with a much enhanced lowlight performance over the original GH5. The questionable autofocus system was greatly improved later this year when the latest firmware was introduced. Another thing that bothered some users was the absence of IBIS. As the GH5 has it, many were hoping to see this feature being implemented in this camera also but for different reasons that never happened. Here is how I concluded my opinion about the camera after reviewing it: In my opinion, the new Panasonic GH5S is a very capable camera and a more versatile shooting tool than the original GH5 – unless you are a photographer. The lacking IBIS is a let-down. FUJIFILM X-T3 is our winner for best large sensor mirrorless camera for 2018 Best Mirrorless Camera for 2018 – FUJIFILM X-T3 is the Overall Winner! All the mentioned cameras above are extremely capable filming devices so coming to a final conclusion was not an easy thing to do, BUT, when combining our actual shooting experience, general performance and price point, then the FUJIFILM X-T3 comes up as the best large sensor mirrorless camera for 2018. On a personal note: Since its introduction, I’ve shot several projects with it around the world and was not let down even once. I LOVE its small size, I love having an EVF and I love its versatility. It allows me, as an independent freelance filmmaker, to fulfill (almost) any request coming from a producer/director, be it concerning a resolution/frame rate/color depth and such. Sure it is not perfect but for the cost it is doing a great job for what it is. Last but not least: This article is all about different shooting tools. One should not forget that at the end of the day it is the storytelling that will win over an audience. Happy shooting and a happy new year (almost!) from the cinema5D team What is your favorite large sensor mirrorless camera for 2018? Please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.